This is a Key West party boat fishing report that I’d like to share. A good job deserves to be recognized. There are a lot of photos to put a ‘Flavor’ on this trip! First, I’d like to set the stage of this Boy Scout fishing trip:
Boy Scout Law: A Scout is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful …
I’m the Scoutmaster of 58 scouts in northern Florida and my Boy Scout troop recently took a trip to the Florida Keys (22 scouts and 9 adults) and on one of our 4 days in the Keys we went fishing aboard the Gulfstream IV, a 58’ party boat docked at Garrison Bight Marina near downtown Key West.
Knowing that there are three party boats for hire in Key West, I both researched trip reports on the Internet and spoke with them all but was still unsure who to charter. So I called an old friend who lives in Key West, who happens to be a charter captain himself, Captain Rob Harris (aka Got TA Go). I asked Rob what party boat he would recommend for a group of approximately 30 scouts. He recommended Captain Jamie Snediker the owner of the Gulfstream IV. After talking with Captain Jamie we worked out the cost and conditions of the trip. My expectations were solid but not inflated as my simple goal was for all the scouts to catch fish. I’ve been on party boats before and the catching was challenging to say the least so I did not bank on a hot bite, I merely hoped it would be a solid trip with everyone catching a few fish.
Our fishing day started at 9 a.m. on Sunday morning. We boarded a little bit before 9 and lines were cast off. On the way out First Mate Nate gave a pretty through Safety Briefing and then gave a Fishing 101 course. Our weather was stellar with lite winds and calm seas.
A TON of good photos were taken but I’m only including the photos I have permission to use. They say “A photo is worth a 1,000 words….”
Gulfstream IV
First Mate Nate giving Fishing 101 on the way offshore
Adult leaders working up some fishin’ stories (especially the guy in the yellow….)
For 6 hours offshore (standard fishing time for the Gulfstream-others were 4 hr trips) we had the 58’ Gulfstream IV to ourselves and we lucked out with exceptional weather with light winds, an overcast sky, and < 1 foot seas… perfect conditions! First Mate Nate had the scouts attention while giving a Safety Briefing and covering Fishing Techniques 101. At our first stop (plus the other two stops too) the fish cooperated and the bite was on!!
Everyone caught fish and we experienced a yellowtail snapper bite that in my opinion was OUTSTANDING! I didn’t see all the fish the scouts caught but I know for certain we caught 16 species including lots of white grunts, blue-lined grunts, jolthead porgies, a number of snapper species to include yellowtail (keeping 117 legal ones), mangrove, lane and mutton snapper, a few grouper species to include a number of red groupers, one black grouper and the largest rock hind I’ve ever seen (gorgeous fish!), plus a couple of squirrel fish and remoras, a spotted moray, a black margate, and a yellow jack were hauled over the rail. The highlight for a couple of scouts was the 3+ foot reef shark that did a self-release as it was brought to the boat. Even Captain Tony got into the bite-he’d hook up a fish and then immediately unselfishly hand the rod off to a scout (very cool)! Without a doubt the crew treated us all with respect and they worked like a well-oiled crew. First Mate Nate was a busy man unhooking fish!
On the rail
First couple of fish…
Typical grunt
My son & I
Nice tail!
Good Fish!!
Awesome job (released)!
Sweet!!
Another nice tail
A little unsure about grabing it like this …
Fishbox starting to fill up
A beautiful hind (released)
Fishbox
”CHARK”!!! (on the line)
Nice red
Yellow Jack
Like shooting fish in a barrel…
Great Day of CATCHING!!
All 22 families had fish fillets to take home!!
At the end of the fishing day, appropriately enough, our Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) won the “Big Fish Pot” for catching the largest fish, a yellow jack. Winning the Gulf Stream Bowie Knife gave the SPL bragging rights for the trip!
SPL with a yellow jack
Back at the dock by 3 p.m., the mates cleaned the fish for us. There must have been 200 fish kept of which 117 of them were legal yellowtail snapper (not including those sublegal we released)!! Leaving the marina we all headed to the Southernmost Point of the continental United States and took a group photo at the buoy. We arrived back at the BSA Sea Base by 5 p.m. and the eight (8) scouts taking the Fishing merit badge were taught how to clean & fillet the yellowtail snapper that we saved from the fish cleaners at the marina.
They later cooked and ate em too. Simply delicious!!
I’d like to note that I have no affiliation with anyone associated with the Gulfstream. I’m merely noting this party boat report in the event it’s helpful to someone else. The captain & crew were well mannered, professional, sincerely interested in our group having a good time, and did not use salty language (!!). No telling if you’ll have as good of a bite like we were fortunate enough to have but I’m certain the Gulfstream crew will sure try hard! I’d recommend them in a heartbeat!
These scouts had an awesome time in the FL Keys and this will be a trip that they’ll never forget! Thank you Got TA Go for your great recommendation too!
If we all lived by the Scout Law we’d be in a different world today…
Hoo Yah!!
Brian
That's awesome. My son is a scout and I wish we did trips like that. 
